Texas Porch

Outdoors / Wildlife

The animals you meet.

Texas has an astonishing amount of wildlife - it leads the nation in kinds of reptiles and bats, with more than 670 birds and over 140 mammals on top of that. Most you'll never notice. But sooner or later something shows up: a snake by the porch, a bat in the bedroom, a baby bird on the sidewalk, a coyote down the street. This page is for that moment - what the animal is, whether it's dangerous, what the law says, and who to call.

Jump to your situation

What are you dealing with?

Tap the one that fits. Each goes straight to plain-English steps and the official source.

There's a snake Something's in the house or yard A baby or hurt animal A coyote, bobcat, lion, or bear An alligator A stranded sea turtle or dolphin Bees, ants, scorpions, or spiders An animal acting sick or strange A bird, nest, or feather What's legal? (keep, move, feed)

Three rules cover almost everything

Look, don't touch

Most wildlife wants nothing to do with you

Give it room and it'll usually leave on its own. Many 'problem' animals are just passing through.

It's illegal to possess most native wildlife

You can't legally keep a wild animal as a pet - not even 'just until it's better.' That's what permitted rehabilitators are for. You also often can't legally move one.

Don't feed wildlife

A fed animal loses its fear of people, becomes a problem, and often has to be put down. As the saying goes: a fed animal is a dead animal.

Who handles what

Wildlife crosses many agencies

More than any other topic on this site. Send each question to the right place.

  • Most wildlife rules

    Texas Parks & Wildlife (TPWD)

    What you can take, keep, or move; rehabbers; alligators; nuisance wildlife; mountain lions and bears.

    TPWD Living with Wildlife ->

  • Rabies & animal bites

    Texas DSHS (health department)

    Rabies, animal bites, snakebite, and the rules on moving rabies-vector animals.

    Texas DSHS Rabies ->

  • Migratory birds

    U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service

    Nearly all native birds, their feathers, nests, and eggs are federally protected.

    USFWS Migratory Birds ->

  • Sea turtles & marine mammals

    NOAA Fisheries

    Federally protected on the coast; report strandings to the Texas networks.

    NOAA Report a Stranding ->

  • Livestock disease (screwworm)

    Texas Animal Health Commission

    Maggots on livestock or pets, and animal-movement disease rules.

    TAHC ->

  • Insects & spiders

    Texas A&M AgriLife Extension

    Bees, fire ants, scorpions, and spiders - identification and control.

    AgriLife Extension ->

Who to call

Keep this handy. Tap a number to call from a phone.

Quirks worth knowing

  • You can sometimes legally kill a nuisance animal but not move it - live raccoons, skunks, foxes, and coyotes can't be transported (rabies law).
  • Bats are protected, but you may remove one that gets inside your home (humanely, never with poison).
  • You can't keep a found feather from a protected native bird - or its nest or eggs.
  • Feeding an alligator is a crime, and feeding wildlife in general is what creates dangerous animals.
  • Texas only tightened its mountain lion rules in 2024 - it had gone decades with almost none.

Wildlife words, translated

A few terms you'll see in the rules.

Nongame

Native animals that aren't hunted as game - like coyotes, bobcats, and armadillos.

You still need a hunting license to take them.

Furbearer

A group of mammals managed for their fur, like raccoons and foxes.

Bobcats are NOT furbearers - they're nongame.

Rabies-vector species

The animals most likely to carry rabies: bats, skunks, foxes, coyotes, and raccoons.

It's illegal to move these alive.

Rehabilitator (rehabber)

A person licensed by TPWD to care for injured or orphaned wild animals.

Call one instead of keeping a found animal.

Depredation

Wildlife damaging crops, livestock, or property.

A landowner can remove a depredating coyote.

Cold-stunned

A sea turtle gone immobile from sudden cold water.

Don't push it back in - call a responder.

Quick answers

The questions people ask most

There's a snake in my yard - is it dangerous?

Most aren't. Texas has four venomous types (copperhead, cottonmouth, rattlesnake, coral snake). Give it space; if someone is bitten, call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222 and get to an ER.

A raccoon or skunk is living under my deck - can I trap and release it?

Usually no - moving foxes, skunks, coyotes, and raccoons is illegal (rabies law). Remove what attracts it, or hire a licensed operator.

There's a bat in my house.

You may remove it (never with poison). If it was in a room with a sleeping person, child, or pet, contain it without touching it bare-handed and call the health department about rabies testing.

I found a baby bird or fawn - should I help?

Almost always leave it - the parents are nearby. Step in only if it's clearly hurt or covered in fire ants, and then call a rehabber.

I found an injured animal - what do I do?

Don't handle it; call a TPWD-permitted wildlife rehabilitator (there's a county-by-county list).

A coyote keeps coming around.

Don't feed it (check trash and pet food), supervise pets, and haze it - yell, look big, throw something near it.

There's a gator in the pond.

Leave it alone; just seeing one is normal. Never feed it. If it's a safety risk, tell a park employee or call TPWD at (512) 389-4848.

I found a stranded sea turtle or dolphin.

Don't touch it - it's federally protected. Call 1-866-887-8535 (turtles) or 1-800-962-6625 (marine mammals).

Killer bees are chasing me!

Cover your face, run away, and get indoors or in a car. Don't swat, and don't jump in water.

An animal is acting tame, aggressive, or stumbling.

Possible rabies - don't touch it, keep pets away, and call animal control.

Can I keep a feather I found?

Not from a protected native bird - leave it where it is.

Official sources

TPWD handles most wildlife rules; Texas DSHS handles rabies and bites; federal agencies handle migratory birds and marine life. Texas Porch explains; they decide. For a bite or a dangerous animal, call a professional.

Data vintage:
Wildlife rules and contacts as reviewed June 2026
Last reviewed:
June 15, 2026

Caution: Rules, phone numbers, and recent items (mountain lion rules, screwworm status) can change. The official pages are the final word - and snakebite, rabies, and dangerous-animal situations need real professionals, not a web page.

Spot something that needs a Texas check? This first pass is built to be polished over time. Send the page name, county, parcel context if relevant, and the official source you are looking at. Email Texas Porch.